THE PERSECUTION Of them PEOPLE They call QUAKERS, In several places in LANCHASHIRE.  

FIrst upon Thomas Butler in the beginning of the Fifth month, 1655. We being met together peaceably ●o wait upon the Lord, and to worship him in his own Spirit. The meeting was at Richard Jonson's house of Lunt in Sefton Parish; there came a man (who goes by the name of Cornet Hikton) rudely into the house, amongst the Lord's people, and gave forth many threatening words, which within short space was brought forth into actions, by hailing and pushing with much violence against the said people, by bearing them, and cutting some with the edge of the sword, one very dangerously with other cruelty, as cutting bridles, stirrup-leathers and pillions into pi●ces, yet did not this harmless people so much as say, why hast thou done so to us? but prayed to the Lord freely to forgive them. And this I was an eye witness of.  
William Addamson.   

UPon the five and twentieth day of the ninth Month, being the first day of the Week, two of those people called Quakers, came into the Town of Blackburn in Lanchashire, and going to the Steeplehouse, and standing there peaceably before him (whom they call their Minister) and spoke not a word till he had done. And then one of them said unto him, Friend dost not thou know, that he that adds or diminisheth is accursed, and then the fruits of the Priest's Ministry appeared: some pulled him by the hair of the head, others beating him with the palms of their hands, and ●ne took him by the hair of his head, and haled him forth, and did not let him go, till he came into the street, and hu●led him against a wall, and so he returned back again towards the Steeplehouse, and did meet the Priest, and did declare against the fruits of his Ministry, but the deaf Adder stopped his ear, so he came toward the Steeplehouse again, and the rude multitude did beat him again, some wit● the palms of their hands, some with their Bible's pushing him violently, and did not let him stay till they had driven him into a Friend's house, where the meeting was appointed that day. And the other of them called Quakers standing peaceably, and not speaking any word, three of them took hold of the hair of his head, and h●led and pulled him down under their feet, and some cried kill him, and others said they w●ll kill him; and some punched him with their f●et, and scratched his face with their hands, till the blood came down his cheeks. And when shame began to strike some of them, they pulled them off him, and did let him rise up; and when he stood up he declared against their persecution, as being the fruits of their Priest's Ministry, and they cried, away with him, and he said unto them, to whom have we offered any violence, or whom have we wronged? and they cried away with him, and did not leave pushing him till they came at the door of the house where the meeting was. And the next day following, being the second day of the week, came to him, he whom they call their Clerk, and asked him how he did, and he answered w●ll, and he said, he thought they had killed me, and said he was sorry they should so abuse me.  
William Simpson, Leonard Addison, Who by the wo●ld are called Quakers.   

TO all ye the Inhabitants of Berry, and the Priest's thereo●, this I am moved of the Lord to write, that all the people may see the fruits that proceeds from the two Priests of Burryes Ministry, We whom the world in scorn calls Quakers, being c me to a me●ting at Henry Woods of Tottington, upon the 26. day of the tenth month, and being set peaceably down in the house, and some people being met together, which no Law that is now in force in the not on, doth forbid. And one whose name is Isaac yet, being speaking (as he was moved of the Lord) to the people. There came ●n violently a deal of rude people from the town of B●rry, who did not stand to hear what was spoken, and according to the Scriptures to prove all things, and to hold fast that wh●ch is good. But violently pulled the said Isaac by the hair of the head, from off the place where he was sitting, very likely to have murdered him, and ha●ing him ●orth of the door, they said we spoke against their Ministers. O shameless Ministers who have such Members in your Church as these, who are fighters, swearers, and drunkard, are these the fruits of your Ministry and Members of your Church, who came violently with slave● to persecute the innocent? When we desired to have Moderation, that the Ministers of Christ might have been tried who they had been, according to the Scripture. O ye Priest of Berry, are you not ashamed to have your names recorded, who sends forth such brawlers, fighters, contentious ones? Is this the order and custom in your Church? This is contrary to the Apostle, who said, If any man seem to be contentious, we have none such custom in the Church of God. So from the Apostles example, and the Church of God, ye have cleared yourselves, who are contending for hire, and for the fleece at this present time, But feed not the flock, who runs, but the Lord never sent you, and therefore you do not profit the people at all, who seek for your gain from your Quarter. Now all people honestly consider, whether these two Priests be in the Doctrine of Christ, yea or nay? who are contending about their wages (the Parsonage of Berry) as they call it. They are here found in the way of Baalam, who erred from the spirit, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, who feed themselves with the fat, and cloth with the wool, but feed not the flock of my pasture, saith the Lord. Give over professing yourselves to be Ministers of Christ, and of the Gospel, who are found out of the Doctrine of Christ, and own yourselves to be hirelings, which the Lord sent his true Prophets to cry against. And all people take warning, and uphold not these Deceivers any longer, but return to the light in your conscience which convinceth you of sin, which lets you see you should not lie, nor swear, nor be drunk, nor envy, for such go in cain's way from the command of God, and example of the Churches of the Saints. Read whose example ye follow in the Scriptures, the Priests go in the way of Balaam for gifts and rewards; shame may cover your fac●s, to see your names recorded; for hirelings who profess to be Ministers of Christ, as William Alt, and John Lightfoot of Berry do. And you who own them to be Ministers, who are going in the way of Cain, to envy and murder, as you whose names are here written, Tho. Banister, Henry Banister, Richard Overy, Richard Taylor, Edward Hunt, Thomas Battersby and divers others, who may be ashamed to profess to be Christians, and practise such things as never was practised by Christ, nor the Church in God. Therefore all people fear the living God, and departed from the evil of your do, partake not of their do, lest you partake of their plagues.  
From us who witness the promise of the Lord fulfilled, that he would teach his people himself, John Branthwait, Isaac Yeats.   

ANd at Manchester, one William Barret (who is a teaching Elder, so called) at Stopford having formerly had some words with some of them called Quakers, challenged a meeting to be at the house of John Maddock in Manchester, and in writing gave forth these words as followeth.  
By the assistance of God, I shall undertake to prove, that whosoever doth entertain the Opinions of the Quakers, and do live and die in those Opinions without repentance, cannot be saved. Provided that I may have fourteen days warning before the meeting, and that the Conference may be orderly managed according to what was proposed to Tho. Taylor in Manchester, in the presence of Mr. Wiggin, and divers others.  
Or thus.  
That whereas the said Persons do pretend to be guided by the Spirit, I shall undertake to prove, that it is not the Spirit of God, but the Spirit of the Devil. November. 9 1655.  
By me William Barret.   

The day may be, if God permit, upon Teusday fortnight, at the house of John Maddock in Manchestor, in case the said persons be pleased to give the meeting. Thus far Barrets words.  
And according to this time which he appointed, one Leonard Fell, and several others of them called Quakers, came to the said place which he had appointed, and demanded of him what he had to charge them with. Then the said Barret spoke the words before mentioned in his paper which he had given forth. And L●onard Fell bade him prove what he had spoken, which was that the Spirit which we are guided by, is not the spirit of God, but the spirit of the Devil, but nothing he could prove against any that was there present, but did accuse one that was not then present, whom he named Thomas Holme of something that he had written a year ago. And Leonard Fell and the rest said he witnessed Christ manifested in them, and that Scripture, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, 1 Pet. 1.9. to be true. And Leonard Fell said further, that if Thomas Holme did witness the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul; the Scripture doth testify of the same. And then Barret replied, I utterly denied that the Scriptures speaks any thing to this purpose. Now le● all judge whether this be not the spirit of a Devil that spoke in Barret, that denies plain Scripture, as in 1 Pet. 1.9. and this was taken from his own mouth, by his own writer, with much more vain empty words, not worth mentioning, which passed from him at that meeting. Then another meeting was sent for by him in writing, and the day he appointed to meet upon, was the tenth day of the eleventh month to be at Manchester; and he in that paper engaged to prove what he had formerly given under his hand; and when we came to the place that Barret and John Wiggin had appointed to meet in, and so soon as the said Barret and Wiggin. with some others with them came, and went into a certain place called the College Garden, and when we came to them, there came in certain rude persons, and thrust into the Company, and before many words were spoken, they laid violent hands upon several of them called Quakers, with many blows, and so in a rude manner haled some of them over the bridge out of the town; and being demanded the reason why they were so rude and cruel; they answered and said, the Constable (whose name is Arthur Buckley, a woollen Draper) had sent them so to do; and many of the people so haled forth, told them they had horses in the town, and some other business to do in it; But they replied and said, they should not come into the town again, and so for a certain space they kept them forth of the town, and some others of them being at a friends house in the town peaceably met, waiting upon the Lord, the said Constable hearing of it, he with a rude compan● went to the said house, and the said Constable himself laid hands on fi●st, and drew one forth, and then the rude persons which he brought with him laid hands upon the rest, and violently thrust them forth with many b●ows. And one of the Inhabitants of the town (of their own party) seeing their cruelty, asked why they d d so use them, and one of the rude persons answered and said, he did nothing but what the Constable had given him order to do. And after so doing, some friends were taken and haled before the Magistrate, and for some time kept in hold, till the Magistrate could have time to examine the thing. And then being brought before the Magistrate again, and many false accusations and slanders laid against them by the Constable (Arthur Buckley) as that they were Vagabons and Wanderers. Then one of them answered (before the Magistrate) that he was no Vagabond, for he had ninty pounds by the year in Land in one place, so they were as prisoners that night, that they might appear the next day before the Magistrate. And other friends being at their lodging at an Inn in the town, the said Constable went and took their names. and gave command to the woman of the house where they were, that they should not d●p●r till the next day. And they being the next day brought b●fore the Magistrate, and both the Priests Richard Hollinworth, and Richard Herricke (Priests of Manchester) being pr●●●nt, after many confused words passing from the said Priests, which are not worth mentioning. Priest Herricke did affirm before the Magistrate and many others, that the body of Christ is not spiritual; and when he was (by William Addamson) challenged with his blasphemy, he said he would prove it by Scripture, and he produced these words to prove it, that Christ said, I am not a spirit; And then he was by him charged with a lie, for there was no such words in that Scripture. Many things being laid against them before the Magistrate, but nothing proved; they were set free by the Magistrate, only Tho. Holme, and John Hall were stayed, and the said Priests there laboured to ensnare the said Tho. Holm, by putting the Magistrate on to give him the Oath of Abjuration. And Priest Herricke gave it forth, that he sought to bring the said Tho. Holme into Prison, And the Constable pretended that they had some other witnesses to examine. So the said Tho. Holme did stand till the witness came; and the Magistrate examining the witness, and finding that they could not prove any thing against him, set him free. So here all the people in and about Manchester, who hath made such great profession of God and Christ, and of the Scriptures to be your rule, see the fruits of your profession, and of your Ministry which you run after. Some for the Presbyterians, and some for the Independents, some looking for Christ's coming in the clouds ●f the sky without you, and in their minds imagine a personal reign. And thus you are confused, and divided in your vain thoughts and imaginations, which makes you manifest that you know him not come at all, nor cannot confess him come in the flesh. And so you are proved by the Scripture to be the Antichrist which John speaks of, which should be in the last times. Where the Apostle saith, little Children i● is the last time, and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time, 1 John 2.18. And the Apostle saith farther, hereby know ye the spirit of God; every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrist. whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world, 1 John 4.2, 3. Now all people try your Teachers by the Scriptures, and their practice, and let their own words try them who looks for a Christ yet to come, as some of them said, what will you Quakers' do, who saith Christ is within you, when Christ comes in the Clouds. Here now all people, do but honestly examine and see whether these spirits confess Christ come, who looks for him yet to come. And let the light of Christ Jesus in your consciences examine, search you, and try you, whether you dare b l●eve that which the Apostle spoke so to be truth, who saith, every Spirit who doth not confess Christ Jesus come in the flesh is not of God: or these Deceivers who lo●ks for him yet to come. And thus you are divided, some for a personal reign, and some for the Independent way, and some for the Presbyterian way, and some of you utterly denies the Scripture, as william Barret did, who denied ●hat any should witness the receiving the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their souls, as it is in 1 Pet. 1.9. And others denied that Christ's body is spiritual, as Richard Herricke lately did at Manchester, and so thus you are in your contention, and striving about the body of Jesus, as the Devil did about the body of Moses, which makes you clearly manifested to all that have their eyes opened in the least measure; to be those filthy dreamers which defiles the flesh, which Judas speaks of. And ye are plainly manifested that ye are they which eateth and drinketh unworthily, and so eateth and drinketh your own damnation, not discerning the Lords body. And here let all poor people about Manchester, who are betrayed and deceived with you, seriously consider what you are leading them into, who knows not the body yet, whereof Christ Jesus is the head, but are at variance about the body of Christ. Therefore consider of what bodies ye are members of, seeing your leaders knows not the body of Christ. And beware of deceiving your own souls; and being betrayed by these deceivers, who leads them in the dark: and so is the blind leaders of the blind, and so both falls into the pit. For they can lead none but who are blind. Fo● any who hath their minds turned in the least measure to the light, sees them, and discerns them to be the Ministers of Antichrist, and the Deceivers and false Prophets which John speak of, which are gone out into the world from the light which is this world's condemnation, and denies the light by which the Lord God teacheth his people. As some of them said, that the Scripture is a more seemly Oracle than the light within, when as Christ Jesus saith, the light of the body is the eye, and if the eye be single, the whole body is full of light. And so these deceivers that denies the light of the body, were not like to know the body, but makes images in their dark vain minds; one imagining one way, and another another way, and so betrays poor people, and keeps their souls in death. But the Lord God is risen, who is the Father of light, and he who is the light of the whole body, is redeeming his people from under the devourers mouths. Therefore all people who desire to know the living God, and the Lords body, turn your minds within, to the light which shines in your consciences, which shows you sin and evil, and checks you when you do amiss; and lets you see your vain thoughts and your deceitful hearts: this will rip you up, and lay you open, and makes all things manifest, This convinceth of sin, and brings all things to remembrance, which all the Doctrine which your hirelings preached never did. Therefore give over going after them, and search into the Scriptures, and you will see them the deceivers of your souls. The Scriptures witnesseth against them and their practices, even in th●i● manner of their worship. For nothing that they act in that which they call their worship, is according to the Scriptures. And all the Saints in light which gave forth the Scriptures witnessed against these practices they live in. Do but honestly consider, and you will see, that all them that were at variance amongst themselves, as Wiggin, and Eton, and Herricke, and Barret, and Hollingworth, all these agree together in opposing and persecuting the truth. And although that some of them were the men that appointed the meeting, yet had they not so much power over the people, as to have the meeting kept peaceable, but all was in an uproar. So let all people see what order and government is in these Churches, and several opinions, which makes them manifest they (who are so d●v●ded amongst themselves) are all divided from the living God, and from the living Truth, from Christ Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, and this is but one. Therefore al● people a warning, a warning from the Lord God to you, as you will answer it before him, who is a consuming fire to the wicked, turn to the light of Jesus Christ which will xamine, and search, and try you, and bring you to know Christ's will in you, and so bring you out of the reprobate faith. This will let you see the Mystery, which ●s Christ within, and this will bring you to know him come in the flesh: and it will let you see these Antichrists who are in the world striving amongst their m●ny opinions: and therefore are they condemned with the light which is the world's condemnation; for ●he light is the condemnation of the world, and all the Antichrists that are in the world. And so now see whether you will turn to the light of Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life, which is but one; or you will continue amongst them who are of the many opinions, who denies the light, and Christ come in the flesh, and so are found to be Antichrists, deceivers of your souls: and so here is life and death set before you, light and darkness, truth and error, the straight way and the broad way, there is but these two. So now see what ye will take now, and th●s ye shall eternally witness to be truth, whether ye will hear or forbear.  
And thus the people in Lanchashire goes on, breathing foe th' their persecution; three of those people called Quake rs hath been sent to Lanchaster to prison since the Sessions. One of them b cause he would not be a Churchwarden (as they call it) and another because he would have meetings at his house, and the third for speaking to the Priest. So let all the wise hearted judge what Law these men act by. So that now there is in Lanchaster Castle eighteen, besides one who is dissolved out of the outward body (who was imp isoned for Tithes) whose blood will be required of some. So here is the fruit of your profession: therefore blush and be ashamed for never none of the Saints of God was found in such persecution and cruelty which is acted by this generation, against the innocent and harmless people of God, as is at this day manifested by the cruel mockings, buffet, haling before Magistrates, stocking, scourging, imprisoning; this is the riches of the Saints, and here they follow the Captain of their Salvation, who is made perfect through sufferings; Glory be to the living God, who is their strength and arm, that will carry them through.  
Leonard Fell, Will. Addamson.   

To Holmes Answer to Barret.  
William Barret,  
WHereas thou didst undertake to prove that such as do entertain the opinions of the Quakers, and do live and die in those opinions without repentance, cannot be saved.  
I prove it thus, that such as are of opinion that faith is seized with such when e Christ is manifested, are of such an opinion, that if ye live and die in it without repentance cannot be saved; but of such an opinion is Tho. Holms.  
Ans. Opinions I do deny & for holding opinion that faith is ceased that I do deny; and if any such word be there writ, that faith is ceased, I do it condemn, and upon thee do it return, it being thy own word; for I live by the Faith of the Son of God; which Faith the world knows not: and if this be thy ground that thou hast against the people called Quakers, if I do remove and do it condemn, and do own that Faith which purifieth the heart, which is held in a pure conscience, and that Scripture I own in Heb. 11. which faith, without Faith it is impossible to please God, and my desire is, that all may come to faith, and to receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls, 1 Pet. 1.9. which thing was there intended however it was writ, and the writer of it I was not, but that paper I left in the County of Chester to be copied over, and into another Country I went, and if any thing in it be contrary to the Scriptures, it I do condemn; so concerning this thing let thy mouth be stopped, and accuse not the people called Quakers, with that they are not guilty of, for from such an opinion do I them clear, and for what thou hast writ against them, from under it canst thou not get, but under shame and condemnation must come. And for that Scripture in 1 Pet. 1.5. It I do own, and it a witness stands a witness against thee, and a witness for us it stands, who are and have been kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation: and for the Scriptures which is here writ, them I do own, and this may serve in answer to thy first paper.  
And whereas thou sayest, for as much as I said, whereas the said persons do pretend to be gum ded by the Spirit, I will undertake to prove that it is not the spirit of God but of the Devil.  
I prove it thus, first he that doth so inquire what difference can be betwixt God, Christ and Saints, that doth imply there is no difference amongst them is not in that guided by the spirit of God, but by the spirit of the Devil.  
Answ, What spirit is that, that accuseth persons of that which was writ by one person, and what sp●rit is that which crosseth Scriptures, and would put a difference amongst them, who are of one; for the Apostle saith, he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, Heb. 11. so that spirit which makes a difference is contrary to the Scriptures, and is not the spirit of God, but the spirit of the Devil; for it is written, that the Father might be one as we are one, Joh. 4.17. and it is written, as he is so are ye in this present world; so that spirit which divides God, Christ, and Saints, and would make them at odds, is not the spirit of God but the spirit of the Devil, and with the spirit of God it is judged.  
And thou saidst he (said Tho. Holm) affirmed in the presence of divers persons thus, I am equal with God.  
Answ. that is false and a lie, it was not so spoken by Tho. Holme and to this thou was fully answered, and Tho. Holms was denied to be equal with God, but thou hast made lies thy refuge, as thy forefathers did which went before, and he that lies is of the Devil, for there is no lie of the truth.  
And thou sayest he that saith it is so, what is due to God it due to a Saint, is not in this guided by the spirit of God but by the spirit of the Devil.  
Answ. What is due to God thou givest him not, and what is due unto Saints thou knowest not, but what is due to the wicked thou first must know, and judgement is committed to God, to the Son, and to the Saints, and their judgement is one, for the Saints shall judge the world, and Angels, 1 Cor. 6.23. and this honour have all the Saints, they bind the Kings in chains, and Lords in iron bands, Ps. 149.7, 8, 9 verses; and the Saints are heirs, and co heirs with the Son, and the Son thought it no robbery to be equal with the father, and ye all one one inheritance. (And the Son prayed) that the Father might be one, even as we are one, Joh 17.11. And thou who would divide Father, Son, and Saints, is not guided by the spirit of God, but by the spirit of the Devil, which crosseth and is contrary to the Scriptures, and for the Scriptures thou hast brought in, them I do own, but thy end in bringing them in I do deny, who brings in Scriptures for thy own ends, which makes not for thy purpose.  
So this may serve in Answer to thy papers, and may certify all that reads this, that faith we do own, which is the gift of God, and do not it deny, neither it destroy, though we witness to him bear, who is the end of our faith, the salvation of the soul, 1 Pet. 1.9. So now upon thee do I lay all thy boasting words, which from the pride and envy of thy heart was given forth to prove and make good what thou hast written, else all the country which have seen thy paper will witness against thee, and thy shame and condemnation, they must own, which thy due and portion is for thy envy against the truth.  
Thomas Holme.   
FINIS.